This disclosure relates to gas turbine engines, and more particularly to an apparatus, system and method for avoiding a bowed rotor condition in the gas turbine engine using an auxiliary drive.
Gas turbine engines are used in numerous applications, one of which is for providing thrust to an airplane. When the gas turbine engine of an airplane has been shut off for example, after an airplane has landed at an airport, the engine is hot and due to heat rise, the upper portions of the engine will be hotter than lower portions of the engine. When this occurs thermal expansion may cause deflection of components of the engine which may result in a “bowed rotor” condition. If a gas turbine engine is in such a “bowed rotor” condition it is undesirable to restart or start the engine.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and/or apparatus for mitigating a “bowed rotor” condition.